When I’m struggling with a creative problem, the only thing I have to do is stroll through the aisles of freezers. Yesterday, while browsing through the freezer items, I came across a frozen dinner that was called Chana Saag. I didn’t pay attention to it too much at first, but I saw spinach and chickpeas and realized that was exactly what I was looking to take in. So I modified the recipe I had made for my Indian Style Creamed Spinach recipe by adding chickpeas to create a more satisfying dish, and then this Chana Saag was born. It’s delicious!!
HOW TO SERVE CHANA SAAG
I recommend serving this with rice or a plate of homemade Naan to soak up the sauce. It was delicious served over rice, and while I typically opt for jasmine rice, I was pleasantly surprised by the Chana Saag, which was so flavorful that white rice alone did perfectly.
CAN I SUBSTITUTE THE COCONUT MILK?
Absolutely. The original recipe utilized 12oz. Container of evaporated milk instead of coconut milk. I’ve come to appreciate curry powder and coconut milk, which is why I prefer this, which allows this recipe to be suitable for vegetarians and vegans alike. So, I decided to use coconut milk. It tastes delicious anyway!
WHAT KIND OF CURRY POWDER DO YOU USE?
I like buying mild curry powder. This means I can prepare hot and mild curries using my cayenne pepper to add spice whenever I need. In this recipe, I made use of the soft spice powder from Sharwood. It is also possible to make the curry powder yourself by following this recipe to make simple homemade Curry Powder at Spiceitupp.com.
INGREDIENTS
1.5 cups of white long-grain rice ($0.95)
One yellow onion ($0.32)
Two cloves of garlic ($0.16)
1 Tbsp fresh ginger grated ($0.30)
Two tablespoons olive oil ($0.32)
One tablespoon curry powder, mild or hot ($0.30)
One teaspoon ground cumin ($0.10)
3/4 tsp salt ($0.03)
One tomato ($0.31)
One lb. frozen chopped spinach ($1.60)
1 15oz. Can chickpeas ($0.49)
1/2 cup of water ($0.00)
1 13oz. can coconut milk ($2.79)
INSTRUCTIONS
Begin by making the rice. Put the rice and 3 cups of water into the saucepan. Cover the pot with a lid, set the bank on the stove at a high temperature, and bring it to a point of boiling. When it is boiling, lower the heat to a simmer and allow it to simmer for at least 15 minutes. Within 15 minutes, turn off the off the heat and allow the rice to rest for 10 minutes without stirring and with the lid on. The rice should be fluffed with a fork before serving.
While the rice cooks, start the curry, slice the onion into dice min,ce the garlic, and then grate the ginger. Add the garlic, onion, and ginger into a big pan together with olive oil. Simmer at low temperatures for approximately 5 minutes up to the point that it becomes soft. At the same time, the onions are cooking, cut the tomato into pieces.
Incorporate the cumin and curry powder into the pan. Continue to stir and cook for about one minute. Add the diced tomato, as well as salt. Continue cooking for about five minutes, or till the tomato is been broken down.
The chickpeas should be drained in a colander and then offer them a thorough wash. Add the chickpeas that have been rinsed, the spinach that has been frozen, as well as half a teaspoon of liquid to your skillet. Mix everything up and bring it to a simmer at a moderate temperature. Allow the mixture to simmer for 5 minutes, allowing the flavors to combine.
After 5 minutes After five minutes, lower the heat to medium-low before adding the coconut milk. Based on the thickness you would like the sauce to be, you can choose to warm it up or simmer it until it becomes thick. Make sure your chana saag is in a chunky state, or, if you prefer, use the immersion blender in order to purée portions of the sauce. After the mixture is heated, it’s time to adjust the salt to your preference.
Serve the delicious chickpeas and spinach on top of the warm rice.
